| Literature DB >> 32754053 |
R J Allen1, C Welch1, Neha Pankow1, Klaus M Hahn1,2, Timothy C Elston1,2.
Abstract
Cell migration refers to the ability of cells to translocate across a substrate or through a matrix. To achieve net movement requires spatiotemporal regulation of the actin cytoskeleton. Computational approaches are necessary to identify and quantify the regulatory mechanisms that generate directed cell movement. To address this need, we developed computational tools, based on stochastic modeling, to analyze time series data for the position of randomly migrating cells. Our approach allows parameters that characterize cell movement to be efficiently estimated from cell track data. We applied our methods to analyze the random migration of Mouse Embryonic Fibroblasts (MEFS) and HeLa cells. Our analysis revealed that MEFs exist in two distinct states of migration characterized by differences in cell speed and persistence, whereas HeLa cells only exhibit a single state. Further analysis revealed that the Rho-family GTPase RhoG plays a role in determining the properties of the two migratory states of MEFs. An important feature of our computational approach is that it provides a method for predicting the current migration state of an individual cell from time series data. Finally, we applied our computational methods to HeLa cells expressing a Rac1 biosensor. The Rac1 biosensor is known to perturb movement when expressed at overly high concentrations; at these expression levels the HeLa cells showed two migratory states, which correlated with differences in the spatial distribution of active Rac1.Entities:
Keywords: RHOG; Rac1; biosenor; cell migration; migration states; stochastic modeling
Year: 2020 PMID: 32754053 PMCID: PMC7365915 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2020.00822
Source DB: PubMed Journal: Front Physiol ISSN: 1664-042X Impact factor: 4.566
FIGURE 1A stochastic model for cell migration. (A) Cell tracks are constructed by recording the geometric center of the cell over time. (B) Example track resulting from tracking the cell centroid at 5 min intervals (black dots). (C) A stochastic model of migration in which during each time interval, a cell moves a distance r through and angle θ with respect to the direction of the previous step. The random variable r is taken to be normally distributed with mean μ and variance . The angle θ is also normally distributed with mean zero and variance . To compare the model to experimental data we change variables to Δx∥ and Δy⊥, the directions parallel and perpendicular to previous step.
FIGURE 2Results for the multistate model of migration. (A) Comparison of the experimentally determined distribution of Δx∥ for WT MEF cells (histogram) to the results of a two-state model (green curve). Insets show the distributions for the predicted two states. (B) Experimentally determined distribution for the angle θ for WT MEF cells. (C) Same as (A) except for cells in which RhoG has been knocked down. (D) Same as B except for cells in which RhoG has been knocked down.
FIGURE 3Results for HeLa cells with and without expression of a Rac1 biosensor. (A) Comparison of the experimentally determined distribution of Δx∥ for HeLa cells not expressing the biosensor (histogram) to the results of a one-state model (dashed curve). Insets show the distributions for the predicted two states. (B) Experimentally determined distribution for the angle θ for HeLa cells not expressing the biosensor. (C) Comparison of the experimentally determined distribution of Δx∥ for HeLa cells expressing Rac1 biosensor (histogram) to the results of a two-state model (green curve). Insets show the distributions for the predicted two states. (D) Experimentally determined distribution for the angle θ for HeLa cells expressing biosensor.
FIGURE 4State prediction for HeLa Cells expressing a Rac1 biosensor. (A) Example cell track showing switching between a fast-persistent state (blue) and slower-less persistent state (red). (B) When in the fast-persistent state (state 1, upper panel) cells have fewer active Rac1 foci as compared to the slower-less persistent state (state 2, lower panel). The upper cell is undergoing persistent motion to the right. The color scale indicates the ratiometric readout of Rac activation, normalized so the lowest 5% of the cell = 1. (C) Quantification of the number of foci in each state.